Globalization and Social Work Education and Practice: Exploring Australian Practitioners' Views

Authors

Marina Findlay, Moreland Community Health Centre
John McCormack, LaTrobe University

Keywords

Globalization, Global Social Work Practice, Global Social Work Education

Abstract

The process of globalization is a controversial movement supported by some due to the potential cross-national benefits, but criticized by others because of the fragmented or uneven distribution of those benefits. As many social workers interact with clients who may be affected by globalization processes, we were interested to investigate their educational preparedness and practice views on this topic. Sixty-six social workers completed a questionnaire which explored the relationship between local and international issues. Practitioner responses indicated a strong interest in the topic and widespread agreement that there is a link between local and global issues on clients in their daily practice. Also, while there was a diversity of opinion on educational preparedness for global practice, practitioner responses again indicated general agreement that ongoing education would be useful. The paper concludes with some suggestions to further enhance the knowledge and education of social workers for global practice.

Recommended Citation

Findlay, Marina and McCormack, John (2007) "Globalization and Social Work Education and Practice: Exploring Australian Practitioners' Views," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 34: Iss. 2, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3253
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol34/iss2/9